Last Monday For A Long Time

I didn't check it out for myself but I believe it.  For a long, long time.   Baseball season is just waaay too long.  But pretty soon baseball will be all a sports fan has besides, well, golf or racing - and there are arguments on just how those two things equate as a 'sport' to baseball, basketball, football and hockey.  Oh well, any one of them - baseball, golf or racing - would certainly help when I want a weekend afternoon nap!   Okay, I'm kidding, but just a little, go Brewers!

via Bits and Pieces!

Super Sunday 2014

My precious Packers are not playing today, but otherwise there are several reasons to support either team in this year's Super Bowl.  My reasons lean to ex-Badgers and conference, meaning I will be cheering for the Seattle Seahawks today. If they do not win, then I will be happy for Peyton Manning and Montee Ball.  Either way, my Packers are not there so my disappointment is over no matter who wins today. I just hope it is a real good game to watch.

Have fun today, everyone! 

This And Thats

Been kind of a slow week around here.  I haven't done this in a while now, but here's a bit of this and some of that...


--I've tried to post twice now this past week, but blogger still won't allow that.  Just wanted to share a couple great things from B&P - but not enough to save, upload to my flickr, then post.  How does everyone else post pictures they find?  Upload? By url?   So far I get the impression that it is a glitch with Blogger, but this has been over a week now since it started.  Lately when I try to add a pic by url it freezes so all I can do is close the whole Blogger tab/window.  I think this is what is called hyperlinking, and I've heard that it can be frowned upon.  I never thought my little site would bother anything.  I'm showing my lack of computer smarts here, aren't I?

--Another 'Polar Vortex' is upon us.  Stock up on bread and toilet paper! *Yawn.*  Temperatures will generally be single digits during the day and negative single digits over night, actual F temperatures.  Just another day in the life, lately...  Many people around me are starting to get a little exasperated with the weather.  I've just been calling it the 'dog days of winter.'  I don't like it either, but what can you do?

--It has been an exciting/disappointing/laughable year for sports in Wisconsin.  Milwaukee Brewers:  Braun gets busted for doping and the team nosedives.  (On a side note: Work friend and personal good acquaintance Al has passed.  Second from the left in the pic here.)  Badger Football:  Another disappointing end to what started to be a very promising season - and yet another bowl loss - but expectations have been high.  Green Bay Packers:  Only won the division because the division was terrible.  Still, you got to have something to hang your hat on.  Milwaukee Bucks:  I have no words and they have no game.  Badger Basketball:  Here we still have hope!  They started out 16-0 but have lost their last two games.  Hopefully it's a good wake up call.  Everyone has fun shooting baskets but everybody has to play a little defense, too.  If they can get back to that, they may still go far.


That's enough for now, there are other things I need to do in my short time before bed.  PTFO

This And Thats

I have been rather preoccupied by work and life recently so I haven't been doing a whole lot of writing here.  I do make an effort to post something occasionally, even if I have nothing to say.  But eventually I feel I must write, so I guess that means it's time again to start typing and see what happens...


-I am in training again at work.  This position is two pay grades higher, but stability and happiness would mean more to me.  Maybe this will be it for a while.

-For the first time ever we are planning a winter getaway for a few days, down to the gulf coast of Alabama thanks to my Mom and her husband Dan.  They will be spending quite some time down there over the winter and have been nice enough to invite all their kids and their families to join them at some point.  Ahhh, escape...

-We're still loving the new windows.  We really like how efficient they will be this winter, and they give the house a much better look, inside and out (see two posts ago).

-Fall chores are almost done.  Leaves have been mulched and put in all the flower beds.  The few leaves left on the lawn I will mulch with the mower when I run that out of gas for the winter.  The house is washed but could use a touch up here and there.  The gutters have yet to be cleaned, hopefully we'll have a dry, mild day next weekend.  And I may want to test the snow thrower soon.

-It's getting to be a good time of year for sports.  Football is still in full swing, hockey and basketball seasons are getting started, and the never-ending baseball season is over!  Who won?  Who cares, it sure as hell wasn't the Brewers.  Go Packers!  Go Badgers!


Well, that's all I can think of right now.  Maybe I'll update later if I think of something else.  For now, I have the La-Z-Boy, a football game and the Sunday paper beckoning.  PTFO

Nation's Best College Town - Madison, WI

The Badgers have another bye this week and if you're missing them play this may help.  Probably not, but I thought it was a neat video about our hometown teams and city.

This And Thats

It has been 2 weeks since I did any real posting.  I have, however, been pretty active over at the garden site recently, so feel free to check that out here.  Now, on with the thought dumping...


-Speaking of the garden site, I have not kept to a posting schedule over there this year.  The last couple years I would always try to post around the middle and end of the month at least, with other noteworthy posts when warranted.  It's not really that important to anyone other than me because it is only used as a diary of sorts, but next year I promise to get back to a semblance of regularity over there.

-We had our little circle of friends over last Saturday for the last fire pit party of summer - Saturday was the last full day of summer.  It was the usual fun.  B&Z were kind enough to bring some wood so we actually have enough to have a fall fire pit party sometime.  It was a cool evening, not cold, but still it was funny to me how everyone was in such a tighter circle than some summer fire pits.  Fall may be the best time to have a fire.

-Projects always need to be done.  I still haven't finished with the shelves downstairs, and I also have various fall projects on my mind.  Washing the house, washing and water sealing the back steps and some caulking on the roof of the porch should be done soon.  In no time it will be raking leaves, cleaning gutters and yard clean-up.  It's always something.

-We are well into football season now.  The Packers should be doing better, I feel.  The Badgers have maybe their biggest game of the season tonight at Ohio State on national television.  (I'm having a couple friends over for the game, it should be a good one!)  Pretty soon we'll have Badger basketball and hockey, too.  Yes, fall/early winter is a good time to be a sports fan in Wisconsin.  As for the Brewers, well, they suck but at least they're not quite as bad as the Cubs.

-Still no date set for the installation of the new windows.  It will probably happen around the beginning of November.  I'm eager to see (feel) how much they will help keep our house warm this winter.


I can't think of much else to say right now, except that I was thinking the other day how long it has been since I posted anything about the kitties.  So, look at them now!  PTFO

Basil and Hamish

This And Thats Again

Maybe I'll make 'This and Thats' a regular thing.  It sounds better than the brain spillage stuff I usually say on posts like this.  So here's some of this and some of that!:


Weather-wise it has been pretty moderate the last few weeks.  We have been able to keep the windows open day and night comfortably, yet there has been very little rain.  Not as bad as last year's drought, but I may have to break down and use the sprinkler I bought this past Spring. And starting today the heat rolls back in, so we got that going for us.  Yeah.

My upcoming project for my upcoming vacation:  A cat bathroom.  Our two cats, Hamish and Basil, have no fear of the basement like our late cat, Puddy, so they have no problem with their cat box being downstairs.  The problem is that even though we have a tray outside the covered litter box, litter still gets on the floor in the area.  Daily cleanings and sweeping generally keep the mess in control, but when we get a good rain spell for more than a few days water sometimes seeps into the basement and makes the floor wet, resulting in a messy floor in that area and dirty cat paw prints that amazingly can show up all throughout the house.  It is my big vacation project this year, along with some other basement maintenance to be mentioned later.  Yes, there should be no shortage of posts in early to mid September!


The Packers play their last preseason game on Thursday, at the Kansas City Chiefs.  The Badgers start their season on Saturday against UMass.
 Football is back! 
Yee-haw!
 Football is back!
Whoop-whoop-whoop!!!
Ready for a knock-down-drag-out?!?!

Cat Tree and Catching Up

Oh, Happy Easter, by the way, it's just Sunday here for us but if you chase eggs and don bonnets then more power to you!  I just decided it is time for an update on various things that have happened with us recently.  Time to start typing again and see what comes out!

The new cat tree has been a major change around the house.  Our little guys have been spending a lot of time on it, in it and scratching at it.  They love it, and I love it even more now that the table is not out there anymore because they were including that into their 'playground' more than I wanted.  They have their own space to get high up now to hang out and see out the windows. (PS - that cat toy that hung off of it lasted less than 12 hours before being destroyed easily, thankfully the cat tree as a whole is much more sturdy.)

The dining table is no longer in the front room and rather than get rid of it (and we have tried to give it to family many times), it has now become my computer desk, replacing the folding table that I had been using for years.  It is rather large, but I think we will adapt well.  It is a nice, quality, wood table that was my mother-in-law's but it is too big for our needs as a dining table so now, with a layer of contact paper to protect from localized wear and tear, it is a desk for the foreseeable future.

A couple posts ago I posted about Wisconsin playing in the NCAA tournament.  Well, they lost in the first round rather unceremoniously and it left such a bitter taste in my mouth that I haven't watched any of the tourney really since.  I glance at what's up and who wins sometimes, but I really lost my enthusiasm for basketball this year after that horrible loss.  Baseball starts and the Brewers open their season tomorrow.  Ho hum Oh boy.  I actually do like baseball but I would like it more if they only played 100 games or so, to shorten the season.

The weather has finally turned a bit milder.  Everything is looking all dirty - the cars, the windows, the lawn, the standing 'snow.'  The snow and ice that lingers along the roads is especially disgusting, as it is every Spring, until a couple good rains can clean and melt everything so the green can finally burst forth.  That's the next step for us around here, but I also wouldn't be shocked by more snow.  Lovely time of year, it is.

Actually, there is much to look forward to this Spring, and there is also much to do this Spring.  Mother Nature controls the schedule, though.  I recently posted the first post of 2013 over at Scoakat's Garden, and I'm sure that posts there will be picking up very soon as there will be a few changes this year.  We're a little behind compared to the past couple Springs, but there is still plenty of time to get things done.

Okay, this post has been interrupted by dinner so I may have lost my train of thought.  Anything noteworthy that I may have missed will be covered later.  Good night, kitties...

St Patrick's Day 2013

Happy St. Pat's Day, all!  No corned beef and cabbage here today, but I did pop out to pick up a new desk chair and tried the new Cool Ranch tacos at Taco Hell.  Meh, probably won't do that again.  They were just okay and so were the nacho cheese ones, I only tried those once, too.  I guess I fell for the ads and novelty of it.

This day, this weekend, revolves around Badgers mens basketball and the B1G tournament.  The Badgers had a first round bye, beat Michigan on Friday, and beat Indiana yesterday - both are among the top ten teams in the country and we face another one today (that's playing 3 top-10 teams in 3 days!) in Ohio State for the tourney championship.   After today is the NCAA tournament where all but one team will finish their season with a loss.  It happens so quick, I'm just enjoying it while I can.  Go Badgers!

Sports, Weather And Movies

It has been a week since we got around 9 inches of snow.  It rained over the weekend and has been snowing almost constantly again for the last day and a half.  At least this time there is little to no accumulation, but we do have quite the pond starting in the back yard.  Thursday and Friday call for temps in the low 40's, (much different than last year,) so there should be even more melting of the several inches of snow still left on the ground.  I have heard others talking of water in their basements but we have seen none in ours so far.  We've never gotten a whole lot down there, but the floor does get wet in some places every so often when it rains long and hard.

Aside from the weather, it has been a usual week for us.  Free agency begins today in the NFL, and the Badgers start play in the B1G tourney on Friday, then March Madness is upon us!  I'm not one to fill out brackets or place wagers, I just enjoy the fun of all the games.  It's win or go home time!

Jerome came over on Saturday night with the movie "Wreck-It Ralph."  It was just a big bowl of okay.  I'm really not a movie person and he really is.  He wants me to get into them but I'm sorry, Jerome, I just don't enjoy watching movies a whole lot - very rarely, in fact.  This movie was a rather tedious kids movie, I thought.  Now, I don't always see late Saturday nights turn into Sunday like I used to when I was younger, but I was so tired just from sitting through this movie that I wound up going to bed at 9:00 p.m.  On a Saturday night.  When I wasn't deathly ill.  (How's that for an inadvertent movie review!  That's "Wreck-It Ralph," everyone!  Ask for it by name!)

PTFO

A Moment With A Hawk

I just stepped outside for a moment just now.  The sky is overcast , the temperature is above freezing and I can hear the snow melting - falling off the trees and dripping everywhere - and I have thoughts of Spring.  Then I realize it is really not even halfway through January.

Just a Google Images photo, for effect. ;]

Just as I was about to come back in I saw some kind of hawk, flying high in this urban sky.  I delayed coming in for a few moments and watched this hawk come lower as it passed beyond to the west, then circled back even lower coming straight at me, and passed almost directly over me about 50 feet up.  Now this hawk obviously knew I was not prey, and yet it took a moment to look at me as I stayed and waited reflectively to look at it.


- - -

Not a lot going on here lately.  I have been working overtime and things have been pretty routine at home.  Work is a bit odd lately as we are changing some of our procedures in our department and face some possible layoffs.  My boss is stretched to her limit I think, but still puts on a brave, pleasant face every day.  But before I go on, this blog is not about work and I will keep it that way.  We can just say that work is still so much more fun for me in this department than my old position and I wouldn't trade it for anything right now.

The Badgers may have lost their third straight Rose Bowl, but at least they have gotten there three straight years which is not too shabby at all.  I am excited about the new head coach and our returning team next year.
The Packers play continues having won their wildcard playoff game last Saturday and will play at San Francisco this Saturday night.  I think we can do it, the Packers can go the distance, but I am almost afraid of the games now.  Lose and it's over - and it's a long time until next season.  I don't want football weekends to ever end!

PTFO

Not Business.. Busy-ness

Life seems to have been rather busied lately.  I work hard at my job all day because I can and I enjoy it.  I'm still learning and improving some aspects, but that will come with experience.  Now, when I get home it's not like I'm busy working until bedtime, I still take my needed down time, but that time has shrunk much lately.  I need to air some things and organize my thoughts:

• I have no project at the moment.  The compost bin was a good one, and I still have a bunch of lumber in the garage so I have been thinking of things that I could build for us.  I have a few ideas of what I could do pretty easily... if I can find the time these days.
• Football season is here.  Many years ago I used to go out for the games, but as I've gotten older I enjoy sitting in my easy chair, watching my TV and rooting for my favorite teams.  So far it has been 'off' a bit this season.  First, all the weeknight preseason games were a pain.  Football should be played on Saturday and Sunday afternoons, in my opinion.  That is what they have ingrained in us over the years and because of that, that is my ideal watching time.  Also, friends want to come by for the game more often than in the past.  I like my friends, but especially Sunday afternoons, I would kind of rather be alone with my game before I have to go to bed early for Monday morning.  It's just what I like now.
• I finally called the newspaper to stop my daily delivery.  I have read it daily for most of my adult life, but an earlier starting time at work has me leaving before the paper arrives and when I get home, well, I have other things I want or need to do.  I'm not going cold turkey, though, I will still get their Wednesday and Sunday package deal.  It will be different, but there's just not enough hours in the day.
• The cats have been energetic to put it best, little hellions otherwise.  Oh, they could be worse and, thankfully, they aren't as bad as they could be, but they can sure be a handful sometimes.  Still, they are very young (about 5 months) despite their ever-increasing size, and I'm sure they will calm in time - even if it is a few years!  Care for them is ongoing and can't be skipped - they won't allow it.  I give them soft food every morning and when I get home every evening, the litter box is done while they are eating so I can clean it in peace.  Then there's the occasional claw clippings, baths and walks.  The problems really come from trying to modify their behavior.  Keeping them off the table, out of the dishwasher (and oven!) and not destroy our blinds or anything else.  And then they get the crazies....
• My drive home from work has been doubled to about half an hour due to road construction.  It wasn't really that bad until school started back up recently, now there is more traffic and big, slow buses when I am trying to get home.  I want a transporter like they had in Star Trek, is that too much?
• I had a recent post about an odd letter I received.  I did email him and sent him a link to my post.  He did respond after a couple of weeks, now it has been longer since I have responded back.  I will, though, but I would rather be relaxed and thoughtful about it than just hammer out an email to someone I haven't otherwise talked to in almost 35 years.
• Unfortunately, I know what will have to go to make time.  I do not watch TV usually unless there is a game on or I am almost or in bed.  I use the internet as my entertainment.  I have a list of blogs and sites that I check daily, as well as podcasts to listen to if I don't find the time at work to play them.  I love the internet, but I may have to cut back.  I can be on it anywhere from 2 to 4 hours on a weekday, so just trying to be on it less every night would be good, but I'm thinking more of an internet-free couple of nights a week.  I don't know if I could stand it, but it is worth considering.

And there are the other daily chores and duties, dinner with people here, a birthday party there, and more coming up soon that I'm saving for another couple of posts.  How long ago was my vacation?  I think I want another one.

There, I feel better.  Now maybe I can relax for a bit before doing it all over tomorrow.  Thanks for listening.  PTFO

Sunday at Miller Park*

Yesterday I enjoyed my first trip to see the Brewers play at Miller Park.  The park has only been open for a decade or so, so I guess it was time, eh?  Normally I prefer to stay away from places where there are that many thousands of people, and it was sold out so that's about 45 thousand in one place, but not having to be the driver and only being able to just be a follower to my friends made it pretty easy on me.  We did get to see some good baseball, and the Brewers were ahead when we left around the beginning of the seventh inning, but on the drive home we listened to the opponent come back and win in extra innings - an all too common occurrence with this team lately.  No matter, I had a lot of fun!  I guess Lambeau is next, but that's even more people.  Sigh.

Well, there were more photos that I wished to upload, but it seems my Picasa photo album is 100% full and I do not wish to buy more storage.  I've never dealt with Picasa except for this blog, and I don't deal with it then, that's just where Blogger puts them when I upload them to this blog (Google owns both Blogger and Picasa - plus Gmail, Youtube, etc.  Basically everything I use on the internet it seems).  So until I figure out how to get into my album and delete some old pic dumps or something there will be no pics.  Fear not, I'll probably have time to get to this on the weekend and I already have the next pic dump ready to go to be posted in a couple days.  PTFO

*Edit 8/2:  I can't post photos yet but I can embed videos.  2 vids of conversation and some plays on the field at Miller Park after the break!

Weekend Plans

Well, a week has gone by now since my vacation.  We had mandatory overtime this week (and next) so my time has been taken by other things than blogging.  I have not worked on the compost bin since my last post, but tomorrow a friend is coming by early to help out.  It may take until mid afternoon to finish (at my pace, anyway) with a lunch excursion at some point.  My hope is to have it done tomorrow so Kate (who will be on the lake tomorrow, lucky her!) and I can put a coat or two of water seal on it during the week before moving to the back yard with help when we have people over next Friday. 

Sunday I am going to visit Miller Park to watch the Milwaukee Brewers play some baseball.  Unfortunately they are in a free fall, having lost 7 games in a row going into tonight's game.  But it is Bob Uecker bobblehead day and I am going with Jerome and another friend from work so it should be a real fun day!  I will take my camera so I'm sure I'll be posting pics of the park and, uh, stuff. 

We have finally gotten some rain over the past week or so.  While many plants are lost, my lawn is coming back well so far.  There are still some areas that may need some seed.  Okay, that's all for now, I'm pooped.

PTFO

Some Thoughts

It has been a while since I've just started typing and posted whatever came out.  Time to spill my gray matter all over the page..

• I'm past the probationary period and still loving my new job.  By now I have a better sense of all the personalities around me and it is still a much better environment than the department I came from.  I enjoy the work, the people and my supervisor greatly.  For the time being, I consider myself very lucky.
• Speaking of work, we ran out at the end of the day yesterday and this morning I jokingly told my boss that I'm a team player and can take a half vacation day for the team if need be.  To my surprise, she agreed immediately.  It's nice to get a head start on this three day Memorial Day weekend.
• Last Sunday we bought some petunias for our small pot out by the front stoop.  Each night this week we considered planting them but just didn't get it done, so I got it done this afternoon.  I don't mind gardening, especially since my lovely wife does most of it!
• Still no plans on visiting the grandmas again.  (Hey Sis!  We have to get off our butts and do this!)  We also have to have Sis and the kids up this Summer, her new schedule should provide more opportunities.  I'd like to get my brother involved as well.  Days turn into weeks turn into months and the guilt mounts.
• I'll be going to my first baseball game at Miller Park in Milwaukee on July 29.  I saw the Brewers at the old County Stadium a couple times when I was much younger.  Generally I tend to avoid large crowds, but I will be going with two Sunday game veterans so all I have to do is follow the leaders.
• We don't really have plans for this holiday weekend.  A friend, Jerome, is coming over to grill out tonight and another friend may take her boat out.  Mostly I'll want rest and relaxation.  It has been a long time since I had a proper vacation (as opposed to recovery from various surgeries) and I'm getting a little crispy.  Another 6 or 7 weeks to go yet.
• I can't wait for this ugly recall election to be over.  (I think politics as a whole has turned pretty ugly.)  I really do not like Scott Walker and want him gone and will be voting for Tom Barrett, a week from Tuesday I think it is.  Mainly I just tire of politics easily, all the sound bytes, commercials, news tidbits, commercials, volunteer door knockers, commercials....
• It looks like we will be getting some cats in a few weeks.  We are looking to get two male siblings.  It has been over 4 years since my cat died and about a year since my wife's cat passed.  Those two were housemates for a long time but only tolerated each other.  With 2 kitten siblings we are hoping they get along famously for a long, long time.

Well, I think my skull is mostly empty now.  Have a great weekend, everybody!

Other Things On My Mind...

...on this 'sick day' that I will pay for later in more ways than one....

My beloved Green Bay Packers lost, that's right, lost their divisional playoff game versus the New York Giants.  I was, and still am, mightily disappointed.  I'm having a hard time yet, but if you can bear it, here are some theories on the Packers' breakdown..

I happened upon an amazing, NSFW youtube page that gives you some convenient phrases in sign language.  It's called Dirty Signs with Kristen.

Sometimes I enjoy A beer for the shower...  Sometimes a cruise through the ghetto (beware, really)...

And sometimes it's just fun to blow shit up!  (Highly Recommended!)

Peanuts And A Rare Packer Loss

A couple weeks ago a good friend of mine, Jerome, came over to watch a football game on TV, and he came bearing gifts!  These 4 Peanuts characters played Christmas tunes together wirelessly, two songs each for a total of eight.  The wireless part has each of them joining in with the others' songs, like a little band.  We've had a lot of fun with these since then (Thank you, Jerome!), putting different ones in different rooms and randomly starting them several times a day.  I liked how my mom's husband Dan was as enamored with them as I yesterday during their visit, so after the game today (next paragraph) I looked to see if I could find them online as a last minute gift for them.  Well, they are still available.  But at about 30 bucks each or a set of the four for around a hundred dollars, well, maybe they'll be cheaper next year.   I hope Jerome got them at regular retail early in the season because 30 bucks a pop is outrageous.  Here's what I'm talking about:

(Oh, the Packer Gnome in the middle was also a present from Jerome while I was still laid up last year - he's very good with presents!)

And today the Green Bay Packers lost for the first time in their last 20 games to the Chiefs, 14-19, first loss since December 19, 2010. I'm actually not very upset about it, because at least it should get rid of the extra pressure of being undefeated and we should still get home field advantage for the playoffs handily. Being undefeated is not a goal, being the champion at the end is, and always will be, the goal. An undefeated year is, and should be, mostly a by-product of the original goal of all teams - winning the Superbowl. Hopefully they will learn from this game and start a 5 game winning streak next week, winning a second consecutive Superbowl in Indianapolis.

We're Smelling Roses 2012

Here's an updated version of last year's song celebrating Wisconsin going to the Rose Bowl for the second year in a row.  You can see the original here.   Now we just have to win this time...
On Wisconsin!

Dear Santa,

While things are going well enough for us, especially in these times,  and we can afford the things we need, luxuries often elude us.  My beloved Green Bay Packers are having another stock offering.  Though it is just an expensive piece of paper, it is one I would be honored to own for many reasons.  Unfortunately I just don't have that kind of expendable cash.  Please, Santa,  if only I could have this one thing...

Shopping, Roses and Football

December is here and the shopping season has begun! Although I don't plan to travel this Christmas we still plan on getting gifts for all the nieces and nephews. Hey bro and sis, ideas on what the kids like would be most welcome! Most of my shopping will be on Amazon this year, as it was last year. Who has the patience for all the traffic and crowds at the shops? Not I.

It's the middle of a big football weekend for us here in Wisconsin.  The Badgers won the inaugural Big Ten Championship game last night and will be headed to the Rose Bowl for the second year in a row (video highlights below).  My friend Jerome came over for the game, a very good gut-wrenching game that thankfully they pulled out at the end.  And today the Green Bay Packers travel to New York to face the Giants in bid to extend their record to 12-0 and clinch their division.  It's a nice time to be a sports fan in Wisconsin....




Update: The Packers have now improved to 12-0, 18 straight wins dating to last year including playoffs! Highlights here!